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Weha Six
}} The Weha Six (ウエハーシックス) is a Japanese 6×6 folding camera. It was made by Ehira and distributed by Yamamoto Shashinki-ten from 1938 to about 1943. Made by Ehira: , item 197. Dates: advertisements and articles listed in , p.334, and mention in the 1943 . General description The Weha Six is a horizontal folder. It has rounded body edges and folding struts inspired by the Balda products. The tubular optical finder is in the middle of the top plate, and the advance knob is at the top right. There is a body release on the left and a smaller folding bed release button on the right. The back is hinged to the left and contains a single red window to control the film advance, protected by a vertically sliding cover. Advertisements and other documents The Weha Six was released in early 1938. The earliest advertisement listed in , p.334, is dated January 1938. An advertisement dated June 1938 listed three lens and shutter combinations: Advertisement published in the 8 June 1938 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the Gochamaze website. * Lidex C shutter, Weha Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens ( ); * Prontor II shutter, body release, Weha Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens ( ); * Prontor II shutter, body release, Weha Anastigmat 75/3.5 lens ( ). The Lidex (リデックス) shutter has the same name as the first shutter made by Minolta at the beginning of the 1930s, but it is not known if it is related. The name "Lidex" might as well be a typo for "Lex" (レックス), a shutter name effectively found on some Weha Six. An advertisement dated April 1939 listed similar combinations: Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in , p.59. * Weha Six I (Ⅰ型): "C shutter", f/4.5 lens ( ); * Weha Six II (Ⅱ型): Prontor II shutter, f/4.5 lens ( ); * Weha Six II (Ⅱ型): Prontor II shutter, f/3.5 lens ( ). The name Weha Six II applies to two different versions; this is perhaps a misprint, or this might indicate that the models I and II differ by the body features. In both advertisements observed, the picture is the same and shows a Prontor II shutter and a manual parallax-correcting device placed under the tubular finder, similar to the device mounted on some Balda cameras. The Weha Six I and Weha Six II were mentioned in the official list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941, for ¥94 and ¥110 respectively. , type 4, sections 4 and 6A. At least the Weha Six I was also in the official price list dated November 1941. , type 4, section 3. The Weha Six I and II were still mentioned in the government inquiry of early 1943. , items 92 and 197. The Weha Six is mentioned as made of bakelite and the Weha Six II as made of steel; this is obviously a mistake. In this document, the Weha Six is said to have a Weha 75/4.5 three-element lens made by Takemoto , lens item Lc22. and a Wester II shutter (T, B, 1–200, self-timer) made by Nishida, whereas the Weha Six II is said to have a Weha 75/3.5 three-element lens, whose maker is not mentioned, and a Kōki T.T.S.H. shutter made by Ehira and giving T, B, 1–400 speeds. , shutter item 24-R-2. The reproduction of the document reads "T.T.S.R." by mistake and actual examples have the marking "T.T.S.H." Actual examples Four actual examples have been observed so far, all with a body release. One has the parallax correcting finder, an Orion Anastigmat 7.5cm f/4.5 lens (no.2122) and a Lex shutter giving T, B, 5–200 speeds, marked Mars Tokyo at the top and Lex at the bottom, probably made by Mars Shashin Kōgyō-sha. Example pictured in , item 1266. The other three have a larger finder with no parallax compensation and a larger release button. Two of them have the Weha Anastigmat 75mm f/3.5 lens and the Kōki T.T.S.H. shutter, and thus correspond to the Weha Six II described in the 1943 inquiry. Example pictured in , item 1267, example observed in an online auction and example pictured in this page. The speed settings are engraved in the fixed part of the shutter plate, in decreasing order 400–1, B, T. The shutter plate is marked Kōki T.T.S.H. at the top and Patent pending at the bottom. One of these two examples have black paint instead of chrome plating on the body edges. Example pictured in , item 1267. The last camera, pictured in this page, has the same shutter and a Weha Anastigmat 75mm f/4.5 lens. Its finder's front frame is silver instead of black. Notes Bibliography * Item 20. * Type 4, section 3. * Items 92 and 197. * Type 4, sections 4 and 6A. * Items 1266–7. Links In Japanese: * Advertisement for the Weha Six and other cameras published in the 8 June 1938 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the camera company page of the Gochamaze website Category: Japanese 6x6 viewfinder folding Category: Ehira Category: W Category: 1938